1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an acrylic ester compound, a manufacturing method thereof and a sulfur-containing compound used as a synthetic intermediate thereof. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a polymerizable composition containing the acrylic ester compound, a cured article obtained by polymerizing the polymerizable composition and an optical component.
An acrylic ester compound of the present invention is a new compound that has a specific dithiolane ring system in the molecule and is useful as a monomer for photo-setting polymerizable compositions. Optical components that are obtained by curing the polymerizable composition have good optical property, thermal property, mechanical property, and outstanding productivity, and also have a high refractive index. It is also useful for various plastic lenses represented by a spectacles lens for correction, a base plate material for an optical information recording medium, a plastic base plate material for liquid crystal cells, an antireflection coating, a transparent coating material such as optical fiber coating material etc., an LED sealer and a dental material, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since inorganic glass is excellent in transparency and in many physical properties and has a small optical anisotropy, it is widely used in the field of transparent optical materials. However, because it has such several problems that it is heavy, is easily damaged and is low in productivity, development of a resin for optical components (an organic optical material) that replaces inorganic glass is performed much in recent years.
Transparency is a fundamentally important characteristic as a resin for optical components. At present as industrial resins for optical components with sufficient transparency, poly methylmethacrylate (PMMA), bisphenol A polycarbonate (BPA-PC), polystyrene (PS), methylmethacrylate-styrene copolymer (MS), styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN), poly(4-methylpentene-1) (TPX), polycycloolefin (COP), poly(diethyleneglycol bisallyl carbonate) (EGAC), polythiourethane (PTU), etc. are known.
PMMA is excellent in transparency and weather resistance, and also in moldability. However, a refractive index (nd) is as small as 1.49, and there is a disadvantage of a high water absorbing property.
BPA-PC is excellent in transparency, heat resistance, impact resistance, and has a high refractive index, but a chromatic aberration is large and so a use field is limited.
Although excelled in moldability, transparency, a low water absorbing property, and high refractive index, PS and MS are inferior to impact resistance, weather resistance, and heat resistance, and therefore are hardly put in practical use as a resin for optical components.
The refractive index of SAN is comparatively high and mechanical property also has a good balance, but it has difficulty in heat resistance a little (heat deformation temperature: 80 to 90xc2x0 C.), and is hardly used as a resin for optical components.
Although TPX and COP are excellent in transparency, low water absorbing property and heat resistance, they have a problem that impact resistance, gas barrier property, and dye ability are inferior, with a low refractive index (nd=1.47 to 1.53).
EGAC is a thermosetting resin that has diethyleneglycol bisallylcarbonate as a monomer, and is most used for a general-purpose spectacles lens. Although it is excellent in transparency and heat resistance, and a chromatic aberration is very small, it has a disadvantage of inferior impact resistance and a low refractive index (nd=1.50).
PTU is a thermosetting resin obtained by a reaction of diisocyanate compounds and polythiol compounds, and are most used for the super-high refractive index spectacles lens. Although it is a very excellent material because of especially superior transparency, impact resistance, high refractive index and small chromatic aberration, it has an only disadvantage that thermal polymerizing molding time is long (one to three days), and therefore has a problem in respect of productivity.
Several methods are proposed in order to raise the above described productivity and to perform polymerization and curing in a short time; a method of obtaining an optical lens by photo polymerization using an acrylic ester compound containing bromine atom or sulfur atom as a polymerizable compound (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-248811, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-217412, etc.), a method of obtaining an optical lens using an (meth)acrylic ester compound which has a sulfur-containing aliphatic ring system (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-215081 etc.).
However, according to these methods, the resin obtained was not accepted to be sufficient when used as optical materials. That is, it has such problems that, for example, working efficiency is decreased in the case of operation of being filtered or poured into a mold because of high viscosity of a polymerizable compound (monomer) and low fluidity, that although a polymerization can be performed in a short time a refractive index or Abbe number is not sufficiently high, that a lens with a high refractive index is brittle and fragile when used as a spectacles lens and that it has a high density. Therefore, development of materials has been strongly desired which may overcome these problems.
As mentioned above, although the conventional resins for optical components have outstanding characteristics, they have respective disadvantages to be overcome at present. Under such a circumstance, development of a resin for optical components is eagerly required that has a high refractive index, excellent workability and productivity, and also has an excellent transparency, thermal characteristics and mechanical properties.
An object of the present invention is to solve the disadvantages of the above-described conventional resins for optical components, and to provide a resin for optical components with a high refractive index, excellent workability and productivity, and at the same time with excellent transparency, thermal characteristics and mechanical properties.
The inventors reached the present invention as a result of having examined zealously in order to solve the above-described problems. That is, the present invention relates to an acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1): 
wherein, R1 and R2 represent independently a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group which may have a substituent, an aromatic alkyl group which may have a substituent or an aromatic residue which may have a substituent, respectively, R3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, A represents a divalent organic group and X represents a sulfur atom or an oxygen atom, provided that when X is an oxygen atom, R1 represents an aromatic residue which may have a substituent.
Besides, the present invention relates to a polymerizable composition containing the acrylic ester compound represented by the above-described general formula (1), to a cured article obtained by polymerizing the polymerizable composition and further to optical components that comprise the cured article.
And also, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing the acrylic ester compound represented by the above-described general formula (1), wherein a sulfur-containing compound represented by a following general formula (2) is esterified to form an acrylic ester. The present invention relates especially to the above described method characterized in that the above described compound represented by the general formula (2) is esterified to form an acrylic ester by dehydrohalogenation after the compound is reacted with halopropionic acids or halides thereof to form a halopropionic acid compound.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to a sulfur-containing compound represented by the general formula (2) useful as a raw material of the acrylic ester compound: 
wherein R1 and R2 represent independently a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group which may have a substituent, an aromatic alkyl group which may have a substituent or an aromatic residue which may have a substituent, respectively, A represents a divalent organic group and X represents a sulfur atom or an oxygen atom, provided that when X is an oxygen atom, R1 represents an aromatic residue that may have a substituent.
The acrylic ester compound of the present invention is very useful in uses, such as optical materials and dental materials, as a monomer for optical curable polymerizable compositions. The optical components obtained by curing the polymerizable composition can be polymerized, cured and molded in a short time (high productivity), and has good thermal characteristics and mechanical properties and a high refractive index. The optical components are useful for various plastic lenses represented by a spectacles lens for correction, a base plate material for an optical information recording medium, a plastics base plate material for liquid crystal cells, a coating material for optical fiber, etc.
Besides, it became possible by the present invention to provide the sulfur-containing compound represented by the general formula (2) that is very useful as a raw material of the above described acrylic ester compound.
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.
The acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) of the present invention is a novel compound characterized by having a specific dithiolane ring system in the structure.
In the general formula (1), R1 and R2 represent independently a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group that may have a substituent, an aromatic alkyl group that may have a substituent or an aromatic residue that may have a substituent, respectively. Here, for an xe2x80x9caromatic alkyl groupxe2x80x9d and an xe2x80x9caromatic residuexe2x80x9d, a bond with aromatic ring is formed via an alkyl group in the former case, and a bond is directly formed with a constitutional atom of an aromatic ring in the latter case. That is, this means that the aromatic ring in these groups may be a heterocyclic ring that has an aromaticity and contains a heteroatom.
However, when X in the general formula (1) is an oxygen atom, R1 represents an aromatic residue that may have a substituent.
When R1 or/and R2 are an alkyl groups which may have a substituent, as the substituent contained in this alkyl group, alkoxy group, alkoxyalkoxy group, aralkyloxy group, aryloxy group, aryloxyalkoxy group, alkylthio group, alkylthioalkylthio group, aralkylthio group, arylthio group or arylthioalkylthio group may be mentioned.
When R1 or/and R2 are aromatic alkyl groups or aromatic residues that may have a substituent, the aromatic ring in the aromatic alkyl groups or the aromatic residues are preferably substituted. As the substituent, alkyl group, alkoxy group, alkoxyalkoxy group, aralkyloxy group, aryl group, aryloxy group, aryloxyalkyloxy group, alkylthio group, alkylthioalkylthio group, aralkylthio group, arylthio group, arylthioalkylthio group or a halogen atom may be mentioned.
As aromatic rings in an aromatic alkyl group or an aromatic residue in which R1 or/and R2 may have a substituent, aromatic hydrocarbons, such as benzene, naphthalene, anthracene and phenanthrene, or rings, such as heterocyclic rings which have an aromaticity as thiophene, pyridine, pyrrole, furan, xcex3-pyrane, xcex3-thiopyrane, thiazole, imidazole, pyrimidine, 1,3,5-triazine, indole, quinoline, purine, etc., may be mentioned.
It is preferable that the substituent R1 and R2 in the general formula (1) is independently a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group that may have a linear or a cyclic alkyl group with 1 to 20 carbon atoms which may have a substituent or the combination of the linear and the cyclic alkyl groups, an aromatic alkyl group with 5 to 20 carbon atoms which may have a substituent or an aromatic residue with 4 to 20 carbon atoms which may have a substituent respectively. And it is more preferable that the substituent R1 and R2 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group that may have a linear or a cyclic alkyl group with 1 to 8 carbon atoms which may have a substituent or the combination of the linear and the cyclic alkyl groups, an aromatic alkyl group with 5 to 12 carbon atoms which may have a substituent or an aromatic residue with 4 to 12 carbon atoms which may have a substituent.
As examples of the substituent R1 and R2;
hydrogen atom, a linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl group such as methyl group, ethyl group, n-propyl group, isopropyl group, n-butyl group, isobutyl group, tert-butyl group, n-pentyl group, isopentyl group, n-hexyl group, heptyl group, octyl group, cyclohexyl group and cyclohexyl methyl group, substituted or unsubstituted aromatic alkyl group such as benzyl group, 4-methylbenzyl group, 4-chlorobenzyl group, 4-bromobenzyl group and xcex2-phenyl ethyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic residue such as phenyl group, 4-methylphenyl group, 3-methylphenyl group, 2-methylphenyl group, 4-methoxyphenyl group, 3-methoxyphenyl group, 2-methoxyphenyl group, 4-phenylphenyl group, 4-phenoxyphenyl group, 3-phenoxyphenyl group, 2-phenoxyphenyl group, 4-methylthiophenyl group, 3-methylthiophenyl group, 2-methylthiophenyl group, 4-chlorophenyl group, 3-chlorophenyl group, 2-chlorophenyl group, 4-bromophenyl group, 3-bromophenyl group, 2-bromophenyl group, xcex1-naphthyl group, xcex2-naphthyl group, 2-furyl group, 3-furyl group, a thiophen-2-yl group, a thiophen-3-yl group may be mentioned.
As the substituent R1 and/or R2, hydrogen atom, methyl group, benzyl group, xcex2-phenyl ethyl group, phenyl group, thiophen-2-yl group, thiophen-3-yl group, 4-phenylphenyl group, xcex1-naphthyl group or xcex2-naphthyl group is still more preferable.
When an effect of the present invention is taken into consideration, phenyl group, thiophen-2-yl group, thiophen-3-yl group, 4-phenylphenyl group, xcex1-naphthyl group or xcex2-naphthyl group is especially preferable as the substituent R1.
In the general formula (1), R3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group.
The substituent R3 is preferably a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group with 1 to 4 carbon atoms and more preferably a hydrogen atom or a methyl group.
In the general formula (1), A represents a divalent organic group.
The organic group A is preferably an alkylene group which may contain oxygen atom or sulfur atom, more preferably an alkylene group with 1 to 10 carbon atoms which may contain oxygen atom or sulfur atom and still more preferably a group represented by the following formula (a): 
In the above formula (a), B represents an alkylene group with one to three carbon atoms, and preferably represents a methylene group, a 1,2-ethylene group, a trimethylene group or propylene group (1-methyl-1,2-ethylene group).
In the above formula (a), Y is an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom, and preferably is a sulfur atom.
In the above formula (a), m is an integer of 1 to 3, and preferably an integer of 1 to 2 and still preferably 1.
In the above formula (a), preferably, n is an integer of 0 to 3, and preferably an integer of 0 to 2, still preferably 0 or 1 and still more preferably 0.
In the general formula (1), X represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom, and preferably a sulfur atom.
In order to acquire various desired effects of the present invention, in the general formula (1), either R1 or R2 is preferably an aromatic residue which may have a substituent, and more preferably X is a sulfur atom and R1 is an aromatic residue which may have a substituent and R2 is a hydrogen atom.
As the acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) of the present invention, for example;
4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-methyl-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-ethyl-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-n-propyl-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-n-butyl-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-phenyl-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-methylphenyl)-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(3xe2x80x2-methylphenyl)-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(2xe2x80x2-methylphenyl)-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-tert-butylphenyl)-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-methoxyphenyl)-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-phenylphenyl)-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-phenoxyphenyl)-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-methylthiophenyl)-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(2,4,6-trimethylthiophenyl)-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-chlorophenyl)-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-bromophenyl)-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(xcex1-naphthyl)-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(xcex2-naphthyl)-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2,2-dimethyl-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-methyl-2-phenyl-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2,2-diphenyl-4-acryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
4-(2-acryloylthioethyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
4-(3-acryloylthiopropyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
4-(2-methyl-2-acryloylthioethyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
4-acryloylthiomethylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
4-(2-acryloylthioethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
4-(3-acryloylthiopropylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
4-(2-methyl-2-acryloylthioethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-(acryloylthiomethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-(2-acryloylthioethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-(3-acryloylthiopropylthio) ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-(2-methyl-2-acryloylthioethylthio) ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[3-(acryloylthiomethylthio)propyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[3-(2-acryloylthioethylthio) propyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[3-(3-acryloylthiopropylthio)propyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[3-(2-methyl-2-acryloylthioethylthio)propyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-methyl-2-(acryloylthiomethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-methyl-2-(2-acryloylthioethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-methyl-2-(3-acryloylthiopropylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-methyl-2-(2-methyl-2-acryloylthioethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-methylphenyl)-4-(2-acryloylthioethyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
2-xcex1-naphthyl-4-(3-acryloylthiopropyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
2-phenyl-4-(acryloylthiomethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4-(2-acryloylthioethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-bromophenyl)-4-(2-acryloylthiopropylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(thiophen-2-yl)-4-(2-methyl-2-acryloylthioethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-furyl-4-[2-(2-acryloylthioethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-methylthiophenyl)-4-[3-(acryloylthiomethylthio)propyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
2-xcex2-naphthyl-4-[2-methyl-2-(acryloylthiomethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
2-methyl-4-acryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-phenyl-4-acryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-methylphenyl)-4-acryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-methoxyphenyl)-4-acryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-phenylphenyl)-4-acryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-phenoxyphenyl)-4-acryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-methylthiophenyl)-4-acryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(2,4,6-trimethylthiophenyl)-4-acryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-chlorophenyl)-4-acryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-bromophenyl)-4-acryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(xcex1-naphthyl)-4-acryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(xcex2-naphthyl)-4-acryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-methyl-2-phenyl-4-acryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2,2-diphenyl-4-acryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-methylphenyl)-4-(2-acryloyloxyethyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
2-xcex1-naphthyl-4-(3-acryloyloxypropyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
2-phenyl-4-(acryloyloxymethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4-(2-acryloyloxyethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-bromophenyl)-4-(2-acryloyloxypropylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(thiophen-2-yl)-4-(2-methyl-2-acryloyloxyethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-furyl-4-[2-(2-acryloyloxyethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-methylthiophenyl)-4-[3-(acryloyloxymethylthio)propyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
2-xcex2-naphthyl-4-[2-methyl-2-(acryloyloxymethylthio) ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-methyl-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-ethyl-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-n-propyl-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-n-butyl-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-phenyl-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-methylphenyl)-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(3xe2x80x2-methylphenyl)-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(2xe2x80x2-methylphenyl)-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-tert-butylphenyl)-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-methoxyphenyl)-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-phenylphenyl)-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-phenoxyphenyl)-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-methylthiophenyl)-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(2,4,6-trimethylthiophenyl)-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-chlorophenyl)-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-bromophenyl)-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(xcex1-naphthyl)-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(xcex2-naphthyl)-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2,2-dimethyl-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-methyl-2-phenyl-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2,2-diphenyl-4-methacryloylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
4-(2-methacryloylthioethyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
4-(3-methacryloylthiopropyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
4-(2-methyl-2-methacryloylthioethyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
4-methacryloylthiomethylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
4-(2-methacrylythioethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
4-(3-methacryloylthiopropylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
4-(2-methyl-2-methacryloylthioethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-(methacryloylthiomethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-(2-methacryloylthioethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-(3-methacryloylthiopropylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-(2-methyl-2-methacryloylthioethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[3-(methacryloylthiomethylthio)propyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[3-(2-methacryloylthioethylthio)propyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[3-(3-methacryloylthiopropylthio)propyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[3-(2-methyl-2-methacryloylthioethylthio)propyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-methyl-2-(methacryloylthiomethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-methyl-2-(2-methacryloylthioethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-methyl-2-(3-methacryloylthiopropylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-methyl-2-(2-methyl-2-methacryloylthioethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-methylphenyl)-4-(2-methacryloylthioethyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
2-xcex1-naphthyl-4-(3-methacryloylthiopropyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
2-phenyl-4-(methacryloylthiomethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4-(2-methacryloylthioethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-bromophenyl)-4-(2-methacryloylthiopropylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(thiophen-2-yl)-4-(2-methyl-2-methacryloylthioethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-furyl-4-[2-(2-methacryloylthioethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-methylthiophenyl)-4-[3-(methacryloylthiomethylthio)propyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
2-xcex2-naphthyl-4-[2-methyl-2-(methacryloylthiomethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
2-methyl-4-methacryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-phenyl-4-methacrylyoxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-methylphenyl)-4-methacryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-methoxyphenyl)-4-methacryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-phenylphenyl)-4-methacryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-phenoxyphenyl)-4-methacryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-methylthiophenyl)-4-methacryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(2,4,6-trimehylthiophenyl)-4-methacryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-methacryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-bromophenyl)-4-methacryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(xcex1-naphthyl)-4-methacryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(xcex2-naphthyl)-4-methacryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-methyl-2-phenyl-4-methacryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2,2-diphenyl-4-methacryloyloxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-methyl phenyl)-4-(2-methacryloyloxyethyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
2-xcex1-naphthyl-4-(3-methacryloyloxypropyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
2-phenyl-4-(methacryloyloxymethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4-(2-methacryloyloxyethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-bromophenyl)-4-(2-methacryloyloxypropylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(thiophen-2-yl)-4-(2-methyl-2-methacryloyloxyethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-furyl-4-[2-(2-methacryloyloxyethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-methylthiophenyl)-4-[3-(methacryloyloxymethylthio)propyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
2-xcex2-naphthyl-4-[2-methyl-2-(methacryloyloxymethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane, etc. may be mentioned but the present invention is not limited by them.
The acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) of the present invention is preferably manufactured by various kinds of esterifying methods in which the reaction itself is well-known by using as a raw material the sulfur-containing compound represented by the general formula (2). That is, the acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) is manufactured by applying to the sulfur-containing compound represented by the following general formula (2) various well-known esterification methods shown by the following typical example method:
(1) A method in which (meth)acrylic acid (for example, (meth)acrylic acid, its acid halide, or its ester derivative etc.) is reacted to obtain (meth)acrylic ester, (for example, methods given in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 64-26613, 64-31759 and 63-188660, etc.);
(2) A method in which acrylic ester is obtained by being dehalogenated after halopropionic acids (for example, 3-chloropropionic acid, 3-bromopropionic acid, 3-chloro-2-methylpropionic acid, 3-bromo-2-methylpropionic acid, etc.) or its halides is reacted, to obtain halopropionic acid ester, (for example, methods given in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 10-204056, 2-172968, 2-172969 and 4-29967, etc.).
Formula (2) being: 
wherein R1, R2, and A and X are the same as the above.
In the above described methods, the method of above described latter (2) is more preferable as a method of manufacturing the acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) of the present invention.
Also in this method, a method shown in the following reaction scheme is still more preferable; namely, a method of manufacturing the acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) in which, after obtaining a halopropionic acid ester compound (3) by reacting the sulfur-containing compound represented by the above described general formula (2) with the acid halide of halopropionic acid, a dehydrohalogenation of this halopropionic acid ester compound (3) is performed in the presence of a base. 
wherein, R1, R2, R3, and A and X are the same as the above, and Z1 and Z2 independently represent a chlorine atom or a bromine atom.
Hereinafter, the method will be described in more detail.
First, a reaction of the sulfur-containing compound represented by the general formula (2) with an acid halide of halopropionic acids to obtain the halopropionic acid ester compound (3) will be described in detail.
Although In the case of this reaction the amount of acid halide of the halopropionic acids used (for example, 3-chloropropionic acid, 3-bromopropionic acid, 3-chloro-2-methylpropionic acid, 3-bromo-2-methylpropionic acid, etc.) that is reacted to the sulfur-containing compound represented by the general formula (2) is not especially limited, usually, it is 0.1 to 5 moles, and preferably 0.2 to 3 moles and more preferably 0.5 to 2 moles to one mole of the sulfur-containing compounds. The amount of the acid halide of halopropionic acids used is especially preferably 0.8 to 1.5 moles.
The reaction may be performed without solvent or may be performed in a solvent that is inactive to the reaction. The solvent used is not limited in particular if it is an inactive solvent. The reaction may be performed in, for example, water or any organic solvents or a mixture thereof. As the organic solvent, hydrocarbon solvents such as n-hexane, benzene and toluene, ketone solvents such as acetone, methylethyl ketone, and methyl isobutyl ketone, ester solvents such as ethyl acetate and butyl acetate, ether solvents such as diethyl ether, diethyleneglycol dimethylether, tetrahydrofuran and dioxane, halogen solvents such as dichloromethane, chloroform, carbontetrachloride, 1,2-dichloroethane, tetrachloroethylene, chlorobenzene and ortho-chlorobenzene, polar solvents such as acetonitrile, N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethyl imidazolidinone, dimethyl sulfoxide and sulfolane may be mentioned. These solvents may be used singly or in combination of two or more thereof.
In particular, the reaction temperature is not limited, but is usually xe2x88x9278 to 150xc2x0 C., preferably xe2x88x9220 to 120xc2x0 C., and more preferably 0 to 100xc2x0 C.
The reaction time is dependent on the reaction temperature, and, usually it is several minutes to 100 hours, preferably 30 minutes to 50 hours and more preferably one to 20 hours. Besides, while the rate of a reaction is checked by well-known analytical means (for example, liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, thin layer chromatography, IR, etc.), the reaction may be stopped at an arbitrary rate of the reaction.
This reaction may be performed without catalyst removing the by-produced hydrogen halide (for example, hydrogen chloride etc.) out of a reaction system, or performed using dehydrohalogenation agent.
As the dehydrohalogenation agent, for example, organic bases such as triethylamine, pyridine, picoline, dimethylaniline, diethylaniline, 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) and 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undeca-7-ene (DBU), or inorganic bases such as sodium hydrogencarbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, lithium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide and magnesium oxide may be mentioned.
Although the amount of the dehydrohalogenation agent used is not limited in particular, it is 0.05 to 10 moles to one mole of the above described sulfur-containing compounds represented by the general formula (2), and preferably 0.1 to 5 moles and more preferably 0.5 to 3 moles.
Next, a method of manufacturing the acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) of the present invention by the dehydrohalogenation of the halopropionic acid ester compound (3) in the presence of abase will be described in detail.
As the base used for this reaction, for example, organic bases such as methylamine, dimethylamine, triethylamine, pyridine, picoline, aniline, dimethylaniline, diethylaniline, toluidine, anisidine, 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) and 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undeca-7-ene (DBU), or inorganic bases such as sodium hydrogencarbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, lithium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide and magnesium oxide may be mentioned.
Although the amount of the base used is not limited in particular, it is 0.05 to 10 moles to one mole of the above described halopropionic acid ester compound (3), and preferably 0.1 to 5 moles and more preferably 0.5 to 3 moles.
The reaction may be performed without solvent or may be performed in a solvent that is inactive to the reaction. The solvent used is not limited in particular if it is an inactive solvent. The reaction may be performed in, for example, water or any organic solvents or a mixture of these solvents.
As the organic solvent, hydrocarbon solvents such as n-hexane, benzene, toluene and xylene, alcoholic solvents such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, methoxy ethanol, ethoxyethanol, butoxyethanol, diethyleneglycol monomethyl ether, diethyleneglycol monoethyl ether and diethyleneglycol monobutyl ether, ketone solvents such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone and methyl isobutyl ketone, ester solvents such as ethyl acetate and butyl acetate, ether solvents such as diethyl ether, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran and dioxane, halogen solvents such as dichloromethane, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, 1,2-dichloroethane, tetrachloroethylene, chlorobenzene and o-dichlorobenzene, polar solvents such as acetonitrile, N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, N,N-dimethylimidazoridinone, dimethyl sulfoxide and sulfolane may be mentioned. These solvents may be used singly or in combination of two or more thereof.
In particular, the reaction temperature is not limited, but is usually xe2x88x9278 to 150xc2x0 C., preferably xe2x88x9220 to 120xc2x0 C. and more preferably zero to 100xc2x0 C.
The reaction time is dependent on the reaction temperature, and, usually it is several minutes to 100 hours, and preferably 30 minutes to 50 hours and more preferably one to 20 hours. Besides, while the rate of a reaction is checked by well-known analytical means (for example, liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, thin layer chromatography, IR, etc.), the reaction may be stopped at an arbitrary rate of a reaction.
In the above described reaction path, a stepwise method may be adopted in which the halopropionic acid ester compound represented by the general formula (3) which is an intermediate may once be taken out the reaction system after the esterification reaction of the halopropionic acid in the first stage, and subsequently the dehydrohalogenation is performed in the second stage, or a one step method may by adopted in which the dehydrohalogenation reaction is performed in one stage (one-pot) without taking out the halopropionic acid ester compound on the way.
In the case where the acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) of the present invention is manufactured, it is preferable to use a polymerization inhibitor in order to prevent the polymerization of a product after the reaction or in the reaction.
As the polymerization inhibitor, for example, various well-known compounds, such as 4-methoxy phenol, 2,6-di-tert-butyl cresol, hydroquinone and phenothiazine, may be mentioned.
Although the amount of the polymerization inhibitor used is not limited in particular, it is usually 0.001 to 5 wt. % to the raw material mixture or the reaction product in the reaction system, preferably 0.05 to 3 wt. % and more preferably 0.01 to 1 wt. %.
After the reaction, the acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) of the present invention that is a reaction product is after-treated by well-known operation and treatment methods (for example, neutralization, solvent extraction, rinsing, separation and solvent evaporation etc.) to be isolated. The acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) obtained by the above described method is further, if required, separated and purified by well-known methods (for example, distillation, recrystallization, chromatography or activated carbon treatment etc.) to be isolated as a compound of higher purity.
The sulfur-containing compound represented by the general formula (2) of the present invention is a novel compound, and is a synthetic intermediate for the acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) as mentioned above.
In the general formula (2), R1, R2, A and X are the same as R1, R2, A and X in the general formula (1) described previously.
As the sulfur-containing compound represented by the general formula (2) of the present invention, for example;
4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-methyl-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-ethyl-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane
2-n-propyl-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-n-butyl-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-phenyl-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-methylphenyl)-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(3xe2x80x2-methylphenyl)-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(2xe2x80x2-methylphenyl)-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-tert-butylphenyl)-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-methoxyphenyl)-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-phenylphenyl)-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-phenoxyphenyl)-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-methylthiophenyl)-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(2,4,6-trimethylthiophenyl)-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-chlorophenyl)-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-bromophenyl)-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(xcex1-naphthyl)-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(xcex2-naphthyl)-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2,2-dimethyl-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-methyl-2-phenyl-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2,2-diphenyl-4-mercaptomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
4-(2-mercaptoethyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
4-(3-mercaptopropyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
4-(2-methyl-2-mercaptoethyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
4-mercaptomethylthiomethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
4-(2-mercaptoethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
4-(3-mercaptopropylthio)ethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
4-(2-methyl-2-mercaptoethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-(mercaptomethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-(2-mercaptoethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-(3-mercaptopropylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-(2-methyl-2-mercaptoethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[3-(mercaptomethylthio)propyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[3-(2-mercaptoethylthio)propyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[3-(3-mercaptopropylthio)propyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[3-(2-methyl-2-mercaptoethylthio)propyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-methyl-2-(mercaptomethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-methyl-2-(2-mercaptoethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-methyl-2-(3-mercaptopropylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
4-[2-methyl-2-(2-methyl-2-mercaptoethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-methylphenyl)-4-(2-mercaptoethyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
2-xcex1-naphthyl-4-(3-mercaptopropyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
2-phenyl-4-(mercaptomethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4-(2-mercaptoethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-bromophenyl)-4-(2-mercaptopropylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(thiophen-2-yl)-4-(2-methyl-2-mercaptoethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-furyl-4-[2-(2-mercaptoethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-methylthiophenyl)-4-[3-(mercaptomethylthio)propyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
2-xcex2-naphthyl-4-[2-methyl-2-(mercaptomethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
2-methyl-4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-phenyl-4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-methylphenyl)-4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-methoxyphenyl)-4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-phenylphenyl)-4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-phenoxyphenyl)-4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-methylthiophenyl)-4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(2,4,6-trimethylthiophenyl)-4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-chlorophenyl)-4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4xe2x80x2-bromophenyl)-4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(xcex1-naphthyl)-4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(xcex2-naphthyl)-4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-methyl-2-phenyl-4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2,2-diphenyl-4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-methylphenyl)-4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
2-xcex1-naphthyl-4-(3-hydroxypropyl)-1,3-dithiolane,
2-phenyl-4-(hydroxymethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4-(2-hydroxyethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-bromophenyl)-4-(2-hydroxypropylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(thiophen-2-yl)-4-(2-methyl-2-hydroxyethylthio)methyl-1,3-dithiolane,
2-furyl-4-[2-(2-hydroxyethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane,
2-(4-methylthiophenyl)-4-[3-(hydroxymethylthio)propyl]-1,3-dithiolane and
2-xcex2-naphthyl-4-[2-methyl-2-(hydroxymethylthio)ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane may be mentioned, but the present invention is not limited by these exemplary compounds.
The compound whose X is an oxygen atom in the above described general formula (2) is preferably manufactured by a method in which the reaction itself is well-known (for example, a method given in Journal of Chemical Society (C), pages 415-419 (1966), etc.).
Namely, for example, the compound in which R1=hydrogen atom and R2=hydrogen atom, and A is xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94 group and X is an oxygen atom in the general formula (2) is manufactured by reacting formalin in the presence of an acid catalyst to 2,3-dimercaptopropanol that is a well-known compound.
By the same method a sulfur-containing hydroxy compound whose X is an oxygen atom in the general formula (2) is manufactured by reacting a carbonyl group-containing compound represented by the formula (5) shown below to a dimercapto compound represented by the formula (4) in the presence of an acid catalyst such as a proton acid or a Lewis acid. 
wherein, R1, R2, and A and X are the same as the above.
A sulfur-containing thiol compound whose X is a sulfur atom in the general formula (2) of the present invention is preferably manufactured by transforming a hydroxy group in the molecule into a thiol group using a sulfur-containing hydroxy compound whose X is an oxygen atom in the general formula (2) as a raw material by a method in which the reaction itself is well-known.
Namely, for example, in order to transform the hydroxy compound whose X is an oxygen atom in the general formula (2) into a thiol (mercapto) compound whose for X is a sulfur atom, a well-known method given in, for example, Journal of American Chemical Society, volume 68, pages 2103-2104 (1946), Journal of Organic Chemistry, volume 27, pages 93-95 (1962), Organic Synthesis, V, pages 401-403 (1963), etc.
Accordingly, the thiol compound whose X is a sulfur atom in the general formula (2) of the present invention is preferably manufactured by a method that after transforming a hydroxy compound into a halogenated compound by reacting the hydroxy compound whose X in a general formula (2) is an oxygen atom with hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide, etc., thiourea is reacted to this halogenated compound to obtain a thiuronium salt, and then the salt is hydrolyzed using bases, such as aqueous ammonia and sodium hydroxide.
Next, the polymerizable composition containing the acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) of the present invention will be described in detail.
The polymerizable composition of the present invention contains the acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) of the present invention and a polymerization initiator as indispensable components. The polymerization initiator is a compound that can initiate the polymerization of the polymerizable compound by light and/or heat and can be used various well-known polymerization initiator as described below.
In the polymerizable composition of the present invention, the above described acrylic ester compound may be used singly or two or more different acrylic ester compounds encompassed in the general formula (1) may be used in combination.
Furthermore, the polymerizable composition of the present invention may contain well-known polymerizable compounds (a photo- or/and thermal-polymerizable monomer or oligomer), if needed, in addition to the acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) in the range which does not disturb a desired effect of the present invention.
The amount of the acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) contained in the above described polymerizable composition is not limited in particular, but usually, it is preferable no less than 10 wt. % to the weight of the whole polymerizable composition, preferably no less than 20 wt. %, more preferably no less than 30 wt. %, and still more preferably no less than 50 wt. %.
The polymerization initiator used for the polymerizable composition of the present invention is not limited in particular, and various well-known compounds that initiate the polymerization by heat (thermal polymerization initiators) or compounds that initiate the polymerization by irradiating a light (photo polymerization initiators) may be used.
The photopolymerization initiator includes, for example, carbonyl compounds such as benzophenone, 4-methylbenzophenone, 4,4xe2x80x2-dichlorobenzophenone, 2,4,6-trimethylbenzophenone, methyl o-benzoylbenzoate, 4-phenylbenzophenone, 4-(4-methylphenylthio)benzophenone, 3,3-dimethyl-4-methylbenzophenone, 4-(1,3-acryloyl-1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxatridecyl)benzophenone, 3,3xe2x80x2,4,4xe2x80x2-tetra(tert-butylperoxycarbonyl) benzophenone, 4-benzoyl-N,N,N-methylbenzenemethanaminium chloride, 2-hydroxy-3-(4-benzoylphenoxy)-N,N,N-trimethyl-1-propanaminium chloride, 4-benzoyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-[(2-(1-oxo-2-propenoxy)ethyl)benzenemethanaminium chloride, 4-benzoyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-[2-(1-oxo-2-propenyloxy)ethyl]-benzenemethanaminium bromide, 2-isopropylthioisopropylthioxanthone, 4-isopropylthioxanthone, 2,4-dimethylthioxanthone, 2,4-diethylthioxanthone, 2,4-diisopropylthioxanthone, 2,4-dichlorothioxanthone, 1-chloro-4-propoxythioxanthone 2-hydroxy-3-(3,4-dimethyl-9-oxo-9H-thioxanthon-2-yloxy)-N,N,N-trimethyl-1-propanaminium chloride, 2-benzoylmethylene-3-methylnaphtho(1,2-d)thiazoline; dicarbonyl compounds such as benzyl, 1,7,7-trimethyl-bicyclo[2,2,1]heptane-2,3-dione (common name: camphorquinone), 2-methylanthraquinone, 2-ethylanthraquinone, 2-tert-butylanthraquinone, 1-chloroanthraquinone, 2-amylanthraquinone, 9,10-phenanthlenequinone, methyl a-oxobenzene acetate; acetophenone compounds such as acetophenone, 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenylpropan-1-one, 1-(4-isopropylphenyl)-2-hydroxy-2-methylpropan-1-one, 1-[4-(2-hydroxyethoxy)phenyl]-2-hydroxy-2-methylpropan-1-one, 1-hydroxycyclohexylphenylketone, dimethoxyacetophenone, diethoxyacetophenone, 2,2-dimethoxy-1,2-diphenylethan-1-one, 2,2-diethoxy-1,2-diphenylethan-1-one, 1,1-dichloroacetophenone, N,N-dimethylaminoacetophenone, 2-methyl-1-(4-methylthiophenyl)-2-morphorinolpropan-1-one, 2-benzyl-2-dimethylamino-1-(4-morphorinophenyl)butan-1-one, 1-phenyl-1,2-propanedione-2-(o-ethoxycarbonyl)oxym, 3,6-bis(2-methyl-2-morphorinopropanoyl)-9-butylcarbazole; benzoin and benzoin ether compounds such as benzoin methyl ether, benzoin ethyl ether, benzoin isopropyl ether, benzoin-n-butyl ether, benzoin isobutyl ether; aryl phosphine oxide compounds such as 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyldiphenylphosphine oxide, bis(2,6-dichlorobenzoyl)-(4-n-propylphenyl)phosphine oxide; aminocarbonyl compounds such as methyl 4-dimethylaminobenzoate, ethyl 4-dimethylaminobenzoate, 4-dimethylaminobenzoate-n-butoxyethyl ester, isoamyl 4-dimethylaminobenzoate, benzoate-2-dimethylaminoethyl ester, 4,4xe2x80x2-bis(dimethylamino)benzophenone (Michler""s ketone), 4,4xe2x80x2-bis(diethylamino)benzophenone, 2,5xe2x80x2-bis(4-dimethylaminobenzal)cyclopentanone; halogenated compounds such as 2,2,2-trichloro-1-(4xe2x80x2-tert-butylphenyl)ethan-1-one, 2,2-dichloro-1-(4-phenoxyphenyl)ethan-1-one, a,a,a-tribromomethylphenylsulfone, 2,4,6-tris(trichloromethyl)triazine, 2,4-bis(trichloromethyl)-6-(4-methoxyphenyl)triazine, 2,4-bis(trichloromethyl)-6-(4-methoxystyryl)triazine, 2,4-bis(trichloromethyl)-6-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)triazine), 2,4-bis(trichloromethyl)-6-(4-methoxynaphthyl)triazine, 2,4-bis(trichloromethyl)-6-[2-(5-methylfuryl)etylidyne]triazine, 2,4-bis(trichloromethyl)-6-[2-furyletylidyne]triazine; other well-known compounds such as 9-phenylacridine, 2,2xe2x80x2-bis(o-chlorophenyl)-4,4xe2x80x2,5,5xe2x80x2-tetraphenyl-1,2-biimidazole, 2,2-azobis(2-aminopropane)dihydrochloride, 2,2-azobis[2-(imidazolin-2-yl)propanel dihydrochloride, xcex7-5-2-4-(cyclopentadienyl)(1,2,3,4,5,6,xcex7)-(methylethyl)benzene]iron(II) hexafluorophosphate, bis(5-cyclopentadienyl)bis[2,6-difluoro-3-(1H-pyr-1-yl)phenyl]titanium. These may be used singly or in combination of two or more thereof.
The amount of this photo polymerization initiator used is 0.001 to 50 weight parts to 100 weight parts of the acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1), preferably 0.01 to 30 weight parts, more preferably 0.1 to 10 weight parts and still more preferably 0.2 to 5 weight parts.
As the thermal polymerization initiator, for example, peroxides such as benzoyl peroxide, p-chlorobenzoyl peroxide, diisopropyl peroxy carbonate, di-2-ethylhexyl peroxy carbonate and tert-butyl peroxy pivalate, and azo compounds such as zobisisobutylonitrile, etc. may be mentioned.
The amount of the thermal polymerization initiator used is usually 0.001 to 50 weight parts to 100 weight parts of the acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1), preferably 0.01 to 30 weight parts, more preferably 0.1 to 10 weight parts and still more preferably 0.2 to 5 weight parts.
Well-known polymerizable compounds other than the acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) as a polymerizable compound used for the polymerizable composition of the present invention include, for example,
mono functional acrylates such as methyl (meth)acrylate, butyl (meth)acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl (meth)acrylate, ethyl Carbitol (meth)acrylate, lauryl (meth)acrylate, tetracyclododecyl (meth)acrylate, phenoxyethyl (meth)acrylate, nonylphenoxyethyl (meth)acrylate, dicyclopentenyl (meth)acrylate, isobornyl (meth)acrylate, N-n-butyl-O-(meth)acryloyloxy ethylcarbamate, acryloyl morpholine, trifluoroethyl (meth)acrylate, tribromobenzyl (meth)acrylate and perfluorooctylethyl (meth)acrylate;
bifunctional (meth)acrylates such as ethyleneglycol di(meth)acrylate, propyleneglycol di(meth)acrylate, neo-pentylglycol di(meth)acrylate, 1,6-hexanediol di(meth)acrylate, triethylenglycol di(meth)acrylate, tripropyleneglycol di(meth)acrylate, polyethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, polypropylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, 2,2-bis(4-acryloxy phenyl)propane, 2,2-bis(4-methacryloyloxyphenyl)propane, bis(4-acryloyloxyphenyl)methane, bis(4-methacryloyloxy phenyl)methane, 4,4xe2x80x2-bis(2-acryloyloxy)phenyl sulfide, 4,4xe2x80x2-bis (2-methacryloyloxy)phenyl sulfide, 2,2-bis(4-acryloyloxyethoxyphenyl)propane, 2,2-bis(4-methacryloyloxyethoxyphenyl)propane, 2,2-bis[4-(2-acryloyloxypropoxy)phenyl]propane, 2,2-bis[4-(2-methacryloyloxypropoxy)phenyl]propane, bis(4-acryloyloxyethoxyphenyl)methane, bis(4-methacryloyloxyethoxyphenyl)methane, bis[4-(2-acryloyloxypropoxy)phenyl]methane, [4-(2-methacryloyloxypropoxy)phenyl]methane, 4,4xe2x80x2-bis(2-acryloyloxy ethoxy)phenyl sulfide, 4,4xe2x80x2-bis(2-methacryloyloxyethoxy)phenyl sulfide, 4,4xe2x80x2-bis(2-acryloyloxypropoxy)phenyl sulfide, 4,4xe2x80x2-bis(2-methacryloyloxypropoxy)phenyl sulfide, 4,4xe2x80x2-bis(2-acryloyloxyethoxy)phenyl sulfone, 4,4xe2x80x2-bis(2-methacryloyloxyethoxy)phenyl sulfone, 4,4xe2x80x2-bis(2-acryloyloxypropoxy)phenyl sulfone, 4,4xe2x80x2-bis(2-methacryloyloxypropoxy)phenyl sulfone;
multifunctional acrylates such as trimethylolpropane tri(meth) acrylate, dipentaerythritol pentaacrylate, pentaerythritol triacrylate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, ditrimethylol tetraacrylate, dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate, 2-(meth)acryloyloxyethyl trisisocyanurate, (meth)acryloxypropyl tris(methoxy) silane;
epoxy (meth) acrylates that is obtained by reacting (meth) acrylic acid compound to monofunctional or bifunctional epoxy compound, such as phenyl glycidyl ether, ethyleneglycol diglycidyl ether, propyleneglycol diglycidyl ether, resorcin diglycidyl ether, hydroquinone diglycidyl ether, bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)methane (common name, bisphenol F) diglycidyl ether, 2,2-bis (4-hydroxyphenyl)propane (common name, bisphenol A)diglycidyl ether, 4,4xe2x80x2-bishydroxyphenyl sulfide diglycidyl ether, 4,4xe2x80x2-bishydroxyphenyl sulfone (common name, Bisphenol S) diglycidyl ether, 4,4xe2x80x2-biphenol diglycidyl ether, 3,3xe2x80x2,5,5xe2x80x2-tetramethyl-4,4xe2x80x2-biphenol diglycidyl ether, tris(2,3-epoxypropyl)isocyanurate;
epoxy (meth)arcylates that is obtained by reacting (meth)acrylic acid compounds to epoxy resins such as phenol novolak type epoxy resin, cresol novolak type epoxy resin, phenol xyloc type epoxy resin, bisphenol type epoxy resin;
vynyl compounds, such as vinylbenzene, divinylbenzene, trivynylbenzene, isopropenylbenzene, diisopropenylbenzene, triisopropenylbenzene, N-vinylpyrolidone, N-vinylcaprolactam;
various kinds of well-known polymerizable monomer, such as allyl group-containing compounds such as ethylene glycol diallyl carbonate, trimellitic acid triallyl ester, triallyl isocyanurate; or
various kinds of well-known polymerizable oligomer, such as polyurethane (meth)acrylates, epoxy(meth)acrylates, polyester (meth)acrylates and polyether (meth)acrylates.
The use amount of these polymerizable compounds is usually no more than 300 weight parts to 100 weight parts of the acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) to attain the effect of the present invention preferably no more than 200 weight parts and more preferably no more than 100 weight parts.
Specifically, a polymerizable composition of the present invention is obtained using the acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) of the present invention and the various above described well-known polymerizable compounds by request, and mixing and dissolving an obtained mixture after further adding the above described polymerization initiator. The polymerizable composition is used for polymerization and curing, after insoluble matter, foreign matter, etc. are removed by filtration and are fully further degassed under reduced pressure before polymerization if needed.
Besides, in the case where the polymerizable composition is manufactured, various well-known additives, such as internal mold releasing agent, photostabilizer, UV absorber, antioxidant, coloring pigments (for example, cyanine green, cyanine blue, etc.), dyestuff, flow modifier and inorganic fillers (for example, talc, silica, alumina, barium sulfate, magnesium oxide, etc.), may be added according to request.
Cured articles and optical components that comprise the cured articles of the present invention are obtained by polymerizing and curing the above described polymerizable composition. Various conventionally well-known methods are adopted and performed preferably as the methods of the present invention and typically and, for example, a cast polymerization using radical polymerization reaction is mentioned that is started by heat or light after the polymerizable composition obtained as mentioned above is poured into a mold.
The mold is constituted by two mirror finished mold dies through gaskets that consist of polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and polyvinyl chloride, etc. As the mold dies, the mold dies of combination of glass and glass; plastics plate and glass; glass and metal plate; etc. are mentioned. Besides, except that the above described soft thermoplastic resins (polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and polyvinyl chloride, etc.) are used as a gasket, two mold dies may be fixed with polyester tacky adhesion tape etc. Besides, the well-known treatment method, such as mold release treatment, may be applied to the mold die.
As a radical polymerization reaction, as mentioned above, method of using polymerization reaction by heat (thermal polymerization), polymerization reaction by light, such as ultraviolet radiation (photo polymerization), polymerization reaction by xcex3 rays, etc. or method in which these methods are combined together may be mentioned.
When polymerization by light is performed, after curing the cured article that is obtained by being removed from the mold die, or the optics that consist of this cured article may be annealed in order to remove internal stress and distortion.
In these methods, although curing in thermal polymerization requires several hours to dozens of hours, curing in photo polymerization by ultraviolet radiation etc., can be finished in only several seconds to several minutes. Therefore, when in view of raising manufacturing productivity of the optics of the present invention, a photo polymerization method is preferable.
In case of thermal polymerization, since a polymerization temperature is influenced by a polymerization condition, such as a kind of polymerization initiator, it is not limited, but is usually 25 to 200xc2x0 C. and preferably 50 to 170xc2x0 C.
As a molding method of optical lens, as mentioned above, a method of obtaining lens by applying a casting polymerization with light or/and heat may be mentioned (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 60-135901, 10-67736, 10-130250, etc.).
Accordingly, this method is preferably performed in the way that after the polymerizable composition containing acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) of the present invention that is manufactured by the above described method receives degassing by a suitable method if needed, it is poured into a mold, and then polymerized usually by light irradiation. Besides, in case of polymerization by heat, this method is preferably performed in the way that the composition is gradually heated from low temperature to high temperature to be polymerized.
Annealing treatment may be performed to obtained optical lens after curing if needed. Furthermore, for the purpose of providing antireflection, high hardness, wear-resistance, anti-fog property or fashionability, if needed, well-known various kinds of physical or chemical treatment, such as, surface polishing, antistatic treatment, hard coating, non-reflective coating, dyeing, light control treatment (for example, photochromic lens treatment etc.) may be applied.
As molding method of a base plate for optical disc or magneto-optical disc, for example, a conventionally well-known method, such as, a method in which the polymerizable composition containing acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) obtained by the above described method is poured into a mold cavity for disk base plate, and then polymerized by the radical polymerization method etc., and if required heated afterwards (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 58-130450, 58-137150, 62-280008, etc.), a method in which photo polymerization is performed within double-sided glass mold (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-202557) and a method in which a liquid resin is polymerized by heat under pressurized condition after cast or injected (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-203414) etc. may be mentioned.
The cured articles obtained by photo polymerization of the above described polymerizable composition of the present invention and the optical components comprising the cured articles require polymerization and curing time of several minutes to several hours, and they can be polymerized and molded in a shorter time as compared with existing thermosetting resin for optical components represented by poly diethyleneglycol diallylcarbonate and polythiourethane, and provide an advantage of high productivity.
Furthermore, the cured article of the present invention and the optical components have advantages of excellent transparency, mechanical property and thermal property, and also a higher refractive index as compared with well-known photo polymerizable monomer. For the use of the optical components, various plastic lenses represented by a spectacles lens for correction, a base plate for an optical information recording medium, a plastics base plate for liquid crystal cells, optical fiber coating material, etc. may be mentioned as practical embodiments, for example.
The (meth)acrylic ester compound represented by the general formula (1) of the present invention is a new compound which has cyclic thioacetal structure in molecule, and is very useful compound as a resin raw material monomer for optical components represented by spectacles lens for correction etc.
Although hereinafter the present invention will be described still more in detail using examples, the present invention is not limited to these examples.
(1) Synthesis of Sulfur-Containing Compound Represented by the General Formula (2)